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7 Ways To Colour Correct Your Hair And Skip A Trip To The Salon
Purple, blue or red shampoo?
We live for summer time. The days seem longer and our weekends are filled with Aperol Spritz but our hair doesn’t feel the same way. Frankly, it’s a minefield for coloured hair. Not only are UV rays causing colour to fade quicker but you’ve also got the added impact of chlorine from swimming pools making blonde hair brassy, frantically shampooing salty sea water from your hair and stripping the colour in the process, the list goes on.
But, there is a solution. No longer do you have to pay a trip to the salon as soon as your colour starts to fade. In fact, there's a whole host of new products meaning you can colour correct your hair at home. Yup, colour correcting for your hair is a thing.
'Colour correcting is usually a multiple process service that allows you correct the colour,' explains Marley Xavier, Master Colourist at Josh Wood Colour. 'Permanent colour is a type of hair colour that has a long lasting effect. The term “permanent colour” scares a lot of people, they assume this means the colour will never fade or be able to change. I think it’s important to note that most hair colour does fade over time, black and red are the most difficult to change.'
Just like concealer masks dark under-eye circles, colour correcting can fix any patchiness and add a richness back in to your colour, but timing is key. 'Ideally your hair colour shouldn’t need correcting often but usually after the summer, when the hair has been sun bleached and damaged from chlorine and saltwater, you may find the colour has faded, unwanted warm tones have come through and the hair feels dry', says Xavier.
Read on for all the colour correcting hair products you'll need in your summer hair kit to fight off environmental aggressors and keep your colour lasting brighter for longer, no matter what the shade.
ELLE Edit: Colour Correcting Hair Products
To Colour Correct... Silver Hair
Philip B Icelandic Blonde Shampoo - £45
If you’re currently experimenting with silver or grey hair and want to keep it looking fresh then this shampoo is the one. Formulated specifically to illuminate those expensive highlights and help protect fragile ends from splitting, your hair might even forgive you for bleaching it...eventually.
To Colour Correct... Brown Hair
Aveda Color Enhance Blue Malva Shampoo - £46.50
Designed to neutralise brassiness, this blue shampoo keeps brunettes looking their chocolaty best. Sustainably gathered blue malva balances out any unwanted undertones, whilst coneflower intensifies the colour pigments.
To Colour Correct... Red Hair
Josh Wood Colour Cherry Gloss - £19
Redheads are often left with orange undertones after a couple of days in the sun. Did someone say fade off?? This gloss combines the benefits of a deep conditioning treatment and semi permanent colour to provide red hair with the richness and sheen of a just picked cherry.
To Colour Correct... Platinum Hair
Kerastase Blond Absolu Bain Ultra Violet Shampoo - £23
One for all the ice white blondes out there, if you’ve learnt your lesson from using Sun-in in your teens (did anyone not turn orange?) this shampoo uses ultraviolet neutralisers to cancel out any warm undertones to keep blondes brighter.
To Colour Correct... Pink Hair
BLEACH London Rosé Shampoo - £7.50
Give faded pastel pink hair a candyfloss top up with BLEACH London's suitably millennial pink shampoo. Get the matching conditioner for an extra boost of bubblegum.
To Colour Correct... Blonde Hair
Christophe Robin Shade Variation Care in Golden Blond - £41
If you golden blonde is a little more faux-Blake Lively than naturally sunkissed then this genius mask is what you need. Blended with vitamin A and E-rich apricot kernel oil, apply once a week for seriously nourished hair with an even wash of temporary colour.
Finally... To Colour Protect All Hair Shades
Wella Professionals Sun Protection Spray - £14.40
No matter what your hair shade, sun is the enemy when it comes to keeping colour strong. Spritz this fine mist from roots to tips before you sit out in the sun to keep hair protected. It also contains a vitamin complex to keep beach waves soft. No straw ends to see here.
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